10 Best Zoo In Florida, 2023 To Have Amazing Times With Hundreds Of Species Of Animals
Florida is an amazing place and there are so many fun things to do here. But today we have come up with a list of some zoos where you can enjoy watching native, exotic, and endangered wildlife. Florida includes a wide range of animal habitats and zoos.
Hundreds of species of horses, foxes, bats, tortoises, owls, sheep, and reptiles call it their home in Florida. Apart from being a fun place to spend a day with family, many zoos are also important education and research centers.
If you are a wildlife enthusiast, then you must visit the best zoos in Florida that offer you amazing experiences.
1. Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens
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The Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Garden has over 500 animals from 205 species and is a great place for a fun day out close to nature. This zoo lets you explore different animal species and try exciting adventure courses which makes it an even better option.
The Central Florida Zoo itself houses a wide range of species including amphibians, invertebrates, birds, mammals, and reptiles, and the zoo not only houses many rare and endangered animals but also has its own conservation facility dedicated to the Eastern Indigo Snake Which makes it the best zoo in Florida.
You will find scorpions here, the endangered Indian rhinoceros, Florida black bears, American alligators, leopards, llamas, lizards, and much more. There is also a lot here for plant lovers, plant lovers can enjoy the botanical garden with a variety of trees, ferns, spines, thorns, and pricks.
One can also visit the Barnyard Friends Children’s Zoo, where kids can have some fun directly with the safe animals and occasionally feed them. And here zookeeper chats are held every day, where visitors have a chance to get to know their favorite animals up close.
2. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
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The Jacksonville Zoo is home to over 2,000 animals and 1,000 exotic plant species and is the only walking safari in the park within Northeast Florida which makes it an even better option. There is a lot to see in this zoo which gives you a great experience.
The animals displayed here are grouped into Wild Florida, River Valley Aviary, Range of the Jaguar, Monsoon Asia, Plains of East Africa, Australian Adventure, Giraffe Overlook, Land of the Tiger, Amphibian Conservation Center, African Forest, and others that make it more Makes a good place too.
It is a wonderful place for wildlife enthusiasts and lovers of plant life making it the best zoo in Florida. The Savannah Blooms Garden has many African plants here where one can enjoy a leisurely stroll or visit Stingray Bay which is home to local animal species. When the heat is on, have some fun at the popular Play Park and Splash Ground where you can cool off.
3. Zoo Miami, Miami
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Zoo Miami This is the largest zoo in Florida as well as the only sub-tropical zoo in the United States and one of the best family-friendly attractions in Miami. Zoo Miami is spread over 750 acres and is home to more than 3,000 wild animals and over 1,000 plant species.
Zoo Miami is Florida’s largest zoological park from which you can enjoy various, beautiful, animal species and wildlife at a safe but close distance such as the Komodo dragon, ring-tailed lemur, tree kangaroo lion, tiger, and jaguar, You can enjoy watching primates, sloths and much more.
And here visitors are given a chance to feel like they are going on a real-life safari which makes it the best zoo in Florida there is a place called Samburu Giraffe Feeding Station, where visitors can walk up to a high platform and can feed giraffes. This zoo is a wonderful place to visit and see various, beautiful, animals and visitors can also enjoy a ride on the monorail.
4. Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park
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Zoo Tampa in Lowry Park is home to more than 1,300 animals, and the zoo participates in wildlife conservation and education, it is spread over 60 acres. Zoo Tampa in Lowry Park attracts more than a million visitors almost every year.
Here you can see and enjoy a range of exotic animals, including the African Painted Dog, Pygmy Hippo, Large One Horned Rhinoceros, Aldabra Giant Tortoise, Florida Panther, Bornean Orangutan, African Penguin, African Elephant, Florida Manatee, and more. Southern white rhinoceros which makes it the best zoo in Florida.
There are a lot of fun attractions for kids like kids’ rides, “flying bananas”, kiddie train rides, and a mini roller coaster which makes it a wonderful place to visit with family. Here you can enjoy special events throughout the year that are organized by the zoo like the monthly Toddlers Tuesdays and the Fitness in Park program which makes it an even better option.
5. Brevard Zoo, Melbourne
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Located in Melbourne, Brevard Zoo is a beautiful home to various species of animals from Florida, Africa, Asia, and Australia. It represents over 182 species and offers some of the most unique experiences you can find in the zoo, whether you can kayak through Africa or zip through South America.
Through the line, the residents of the animals can enjoy an up-close and personal view. Here you can relax at the Indian River Play Lagoon which is the ideal place to relax and take in the touch tank at the zoo’s 20,000-gallon aquarium and pause in the play area for kids.
Here you can enjoy feeding the giraffe, patting the rhinoceros with love, touching the baby gator, or enjoying the colorful lullaby in your arms. This zoo offers a variety of educational programs for kids which makes it one of the best zoos in Florida.
6. Lion Country Safari, Loxahatchee
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Just 35 minutes from West Palm Beach, Lion Country Safari is a great place for animal lovers and is the only drive-thru safari park in Florida and home to over 1,000 animals.
You can enjoy seeing a variety of wild animals such as lions, different types of antelope, gorillas, giraffes, and others in a safe natural environment.
And also take a walk-through, and thousands of exotic birds among different species in the park. One can experience various reptile species like iguanas and crocodiles, which makes it an even better option.
The animal displays here include large herds of water deer and rhinoceros and other non-animal attractions include miniature golf, a carousel, a train, a maze, and a flying elephant ride that you can enjoy.
If you’re bringing kids, take them to the petting zoo, a place they’ll enjoy the company of some sheep and goats. Here you can hire paddleboats to swim along the Shannali lake or you can also go shopping or enjoy some food.
7. Palm Beach Zoo
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The Palm Beach Zoo is home to over 500 animals and is located in Dreher Park in West Palm Beach. Considered to be one of the best zoos in Florida, you can buy some nectar to feed the birds during the Lorikeet Loft experience and specially designed ones to meet sloths, Aldabra tortoises, capybaras, giant anteaters, koalas, and amigos. There are experiences too.
And the zoo also has 11 daily shows and talks, such as Wings Over Water, Wild Things, and Howler Monkey Talks which makes it an even better option.
You can find an interactive play here to keep the kids happy. Enjoy the fountain, colorful carousel, and safari train ride, or visit the Play Fountain and Nature Play Pavilion where you can cool off on hot days.
8. Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens
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The Naples Zoo is considered one of the popular family-friendly attractions in Naples and is a nationally recognized zoo. It started as a botanical garden in 1919, then in the 1950s the garden was opened to the public as the Caribbean Garden, and in 1969 an animal exhibit was introduced. Now visitors can see lions, tigers, bears, and leopards and come to watch ghazals.
This zoo takes care of rare creatures from all over the world, where you can enjoy feeding giraffes and can also take a camel ride. Here you can enjoy a walk among the thousands of plant species in the garden, from mango trees to large figs.
One can explore a number of animal species including lemurs, leopards, and hyenas, and visit a catamaran on a primate expedition cruise and enjoy seeing many endangered species of monkeys or gorillas in their natural habitats.
9. Gulf Breeze Zoo
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Gulf Breeze Zoo is home to over 800 animals and covers 50 acres of land. The largest and best animal attraction area in the area, visitors can see animals such as monkeys, kangaroos, birds, cats, and tortoises and enjoy watching rhinoceros, deer, antelope, and zebra roam freely in the 30-acre protected area.
Visitors can take a 15-minute train ride here. And here one can enjoy a close-up view of the gorilla family and the giant Nile hippopotamus. Other activities include hand-feeding animals such as giraffes and others.
Here you can visit the free-flight aviary where hundreds of colorful parrots can be seen sitting on your hand. This zoo is a wonderful place for a fun day out. The Zoo Cafe here serves kids’ food along with traditional favorites like pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, and safari hats, which kids can enjoy.
10. Sarasota Jungle Gardens, Sarasota
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Sarasota Jungle Garden is located in Sarasota, Florida, and the garden has been delighting visitors since 1939. This zoo is home to various, endangered animal species, indigenous birds, and horticultural plants which makes it even more attractive.
Other attractions here include enjoying the zoo’s beautiful wilderness gardens or taking part in one of the interactive, educational, and entertaining wildlife, bird, or reptile shows that are entertaining animal shows.
Private animal encounters can also be booked here and The Jungle Bird Show showcases parrots, cockatiels, macaws, and a variety of different tricks including roller-skating and bike riding.
The Reptile Encounter Show at Sarasota Jungle Garden provides an opportunity for kids to learn about snakes, alligators, and other reptiles which makes for more such options. Here you can also enjoy feeding flamingos.